Do ratmen dream of the sacred tree of spirits?

Chapter 15 Chief Sheriff

"Please sit down, Fafnir."

To be honest, Fafnir was a little reluctant to sit next to Mr. Victor.

Because there was another person opposite Mr. Victor, a middle-aged man wearing a black robe.

"Hey, hello there, little one!"

"Little Fafnir, this is Bishop Kingsley DeMoury."

Our Church of the God of Death has a separate hierarchy of offices and ranks; Kingsley and I are both bishops.

"Kingsley, Chief Sheriff of the Church of the God of Death in Lorraine, sends his greetings, little fellow!"

Kingsley smiled at Fafnir.

Fafnir quickly bowed slightly: "Greetings, Lord Demery. I am Fafnir Beckett, a new volunteer at the grammar school."

"A volunteer? A seven-year-old volunteer?" Kingsley raised an eyebrow, his gray eyes sweeping over Fafnir. "Victor, where did you pick up this little guy?"

"Lorraine Manor." Victor forked a piece of fried meat. "Professor Ze Ruo brought it back with her."

Kingsley gave an "Oh," his gaze remaining fixed on Fafnir: "A ratman?"

Fafnir was no longer bothered by such a direct question: "Yes, sir."

"Interesting," Kingsley said, taking a sip from his glass. "Victor, did you teach him clairvoyance?"

"I just taught it last night."

"The progress is quite fast." Kingsley put down his cup.

Kingsley put down his cup and leaned forward slightly. "Little one, what can you see now?"

Fafnir hesitated for a moment, but then told the truth: "I can see a little... a very faint gray halo, coming from myself. I can't see the others very clearly."

"Seven years old, learned it in one night, and can see his own spiritual radiance," Kingsley turned to Victor, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You just performed a guiding incantation on him?"

Victor laughed and shook his head: "I don't have that kind of ability."

Kingsley turned his gaze back to Fafnir, a newfound scrutiny in his grey eyes: "Little one, who taught you to read at Lorraine Manor?"

"My parents. My father and mother were the treasurers of the estate, and they taught me Common."

"Both parents are human?"

"Yes, sir."

Kingsley tapped the table thoughtfully: "And your ratman bloodline..."

"It might be a recessive mutation," Fafnir repeated what his parents had told him.

Kingsley didn't say anything more. He picked up a piece of bread with one hand, dipped it in the gravy on the plate, and chewed it slowly.

Mr. Victor broke the silence: "By the way, Kingsley, what brings you to the cafeteria today? Don't you usually eat at the police station?"

"I have other things to do today, and I just happen to be having lunch here," Kingsley swallowed his bread, glanced around, and lowered his voice. "Bishop Zere sent me. I'll be at the grammar school later; he's waiting for something."

"What is this?" Victor put down his fork.

Kingsley didn't answer immediately, but instead glanced at Fafnir.

Fafnir wisely lowered his head and focused on eating the fruit pie.

"It's alright, just say it," Victor waved his hand.

Kingsley paused for two seconds, then leaned closer to Victor, lowering his voice even further: "The sacred elven tree—'Eldrasil'—has experienced its feather-falling season earlier this year."

Victor's expression changed: "How much earlier?"

"At least a month," Kingsley tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice. "The news that Bishop Zero received last week has been confirmed by the City of Sacred Trees. The Sacred Tree's feather-falling period has only occurred three times in the last hundred years, and each time it was accompanied by a major event."

"The first was the demon invasion, the second was the ratman rebellion, and the third..." Kingsley paused for a moment, "was the holy war against the Nunns Empire."

Fafnir paused for a moment while biting into the pie, but quickly resumed his normal action.

"What does this early Featherfall Period reveal?" Victor's voice also lowered.

"According to calculations, this means the sacred tree is 'anxious'."

Kingsley said, "The sacred tree's perception range covers the entire Holy Kingdom of the Spirits; it can sense certain fluctuations deep within the spirit realm."

The early shedding of its feathers is its instinctive reaction to external threats. Bishop Zere said that the church leadership has held several emergency meetings, but no one can clearly explain what the sacred tree is afraid of.

"So Professor Ze Ruo's arrival in Lorraine is not just a simple transfer? I heard from him that he has a mission this time."

"Of course not," Kingsley glanced out the window, "He was also ordered to investigate. Lorraine is one of the spiritual nodes in the eastern part of the Holy Kingdom."

Teacher Ze Ruo is going to set up a large-scale spiritual monitoring array in Ryan City to track the source of spiritual fluctuations.

Victor frowned. "I know about this, but what does it have to do with grammar school?"

"The core of the monitoring array is located in the basement of the grammar school."

Kingsley said, "This building is built on a tributary of a spiritual vein, the most stable place in the entire city of Ryan in terms of spiritual energy. Bishop Zere has been setting up the magic array these past few days, and once the array's core is complete, he says he might be able to trace the source of the fluctuations through the spiritual vein."

"It's alright, Victor. You'll find out soon enough; those of bishop rank and above will be holding a meeting soon."

Fafnir lowered his head and memorized every word.

The sacred tree is anxious; the feather-falling season is approaching early; the spiritual veins and monitoring arrays are activated...

He was a little confused. Something big might happen during this time... Also, what is the Sacred Tree?

"Little one," Kingsley suddenly turned to him, "what are you thinking about?"

Fafnir looked up, his expression blank. "My lord, I'm wondering... what is the Sacred Tree?"

Kingsley and Victor exchanged a glance, seemingly unsurprised by the question.

"The sacred elven tree 'Eldrasil' is the foundation of the elven holy kingdom," Kingsley explained briefly.

"It is not just a tree; it is a bridge between spirits and the spirit world. The roots of the sacred tree spread throughout the entire Holy Kingdom, and all spirituality revolves around it. You can think of it as... the heart of this country."

"What is the Featherfall Period?" Fafnir asked again.

"Every autumn, the sacred tree naturally sheds a layer of dead leaves; that's called the molting period."

Victor continued, "But if the feather shedding period comes early, it means the sacred tree's growth rhythm has been disrupted. Just like a person's heart rate increases when they are frightened, the sacred tree will shed its leaves prematurely when it is frightened."

Fafner nodded, indicating that he understood.

But he knew in his heart that this matter was far more complex than simply "the sacred tree being startled".

The foundation of a nation is in turmoil, the church leadership is secretly investigating the source, and a bishop-level superhuman is sent to Lorraine to set up a monitoring array, the core of which is located underground in the grammar school where he will soon be working and studying.

Fafner felt this was unlikely to be a coincidence.

"Alright, keep these things to yourself, don't go around telling everyone," Kingsley patted the hem of his robe and stood up. "Victor, I'm leaving now."